N.J. health officials say they have only some violence reports for Bergen Regional hospital

New Jersey health officials only have records for five of the eight alleged cases of workplace violence inside Bergen Regional Medical Center that were detailed in a federal report, the acting health commissioner told lawmakers on Monday.

Acting state Health Commissioner Cathleen D. Bennett said that her department is looking into why the other three cases were not reported to state health officials.

State health officials have also contacted hospital operators to shed light on any discrepancy, she said. They also plan to review the hospital’s violence prevention plans and employee training, Bennett said.

Hospital representatives will be meeting with the state, but Bennett did not say when.

“I’ve asked them to come prepared to talk about violence prevention and the special initiatives they are going to take,” she said.

Bennett said her staff also is talking with enforcement officials at the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to improve communications between the two agencies.

“I do agree that as a department we’d like to be better informed,” Bennett told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing on her nomination.